“Gov. Mark Dayton is proposing a $2.2 million study on medical marijuana,” reports the Associated Press.

The Associated Press obtained a draft of the governor’s bill from advocates of legalizing the drug for medical use. The governor’s office confirmed it in a statement later Friday, saying the governor is searching for ideas that can pass this legislative session.

Medical marijuana has stalled. Dayton has said in the past he wouldn’t support legalization unless law enforcement did, and that hasn’t happened.

The governor’s draft bill would have the Mayo Clinic study cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, a marijuana compound that does not produce a high.

Many people say CBD helps some patients who suffer from epileptic seizures and psychosis induced by schizophrenia.

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Definitely have the Mayo Clinic do a real study; enough of this hearsay stuff already.

Bill

No.
We already know that it is safe, we know it works for some people with varied conditions when other treatments are ineffective, and we know it’s already widely available, just under a backwards and destructive regulatory regime. Some drugs don’t even need concrete proof from double blind studies that they even work and come with more burdensome side effects, just look at most antidepressants. Not that I am against anti-depressants, but the notion that we need to somehow wait for a conclusive study is a red herring.

Kim B

May I volunteer to be part of the study?

Bill

Only if you have a rare seizure disorder or schizophrenia, because CLEARLY those are the two reasonable things worth studying. People with cancer and AIDS can wait!

kathy

Cbd oil only will not help the kids with intractable epilepsy. They need the whole plant. Gov Dayton is misrepresenting the facts as he has been told by the moms of kids with severe epilepsy many times that cbd oil without the small amounts of thc does nkt help. He is choosing to use these kids as an excuse to look like he cares about them. Im not sure who this option would help. But please remember it is NOT going to help kids with epilepsy. I just hope people realize this when voting for the next governor

Debbie Johnson

I do agree he should have a study, but not just at the Mayo as they are all about drug free alternatives. I think it should include the U of M and other colleges who aren’t centered around holistic means of health care needs.

TimTimTim

No.
The federal government has done million dollar studies already and has confirmed the raw plant is safe for consumption. Not just safe, but highly beneficial for many things.

1) Studies showing it’s not only safe but beneficial.
2) What expertise do cops have to talk about the health “issues” of marijuana? None.
3) Cops pushing to keep marijuana illegal is a giant conflict of interest. Less enforcement means that their hours most likely get cut, so instead of biting the bullet and legalizing it without issue, they would rather lock up people, destroy families and people’s futures, and support a private for profit prision systems that depends on criminals to make money.

Something like 80% of people and most presidents have admitted to smoking weed. Crime is lower than it has ever been and it’s legal in 2 states for recreation, and there have been no problems. Stop dragging your feet Governor, grow a pair, and get full legalization passed this year. Or let’s vote in someone who will.

Matt Black

The hundreds of other studies available on marijuana don’t address his concerns and answer his questions?

Bill

How much money did those studies make for the Mayo Clinic? That’s the real question.
Profits from cannabis prohibition will soon come to an end, they’re just chasing the dragon.

KTN

Did the other 21 states that currently allow the use of medical marijuana conduct studies – nope, so why here.
The federal government needs to lead here, if for no other reason than to get marijuana removed as a Schedule 1 drug. Without this removal, researchers are very limited on how they study the drug.
Although, just this week, the federal government is allowing a clinician in Arizona to study the efficacy of medical marijuana on PTSD – I guess we can take the small victories.

calistair

Sadly, state Senator Kimberly Yee of Phoenix has stopped the bill in it’s tracks.
Senator Yee chairs the senate education committee, the recipient of the bill and Yee has said she will not let them consider the study.

KTN

Thanks for the update, I really thought this might be a relatively benign first step towards the actual science so many are clambering for. But I guess it’s just easier to say no up front than to have your ideals challenged.

Bill

I think the money would be better spent studying the impact of cannabis prohibition on our disadvantaged communities, specifically the impact on employment prospects for things like simple possession.

Hey Der

Not to mention the effect our drug war has had on the Mexican drug cartels. They are stronger, better organized, and more ruthless than ever. I haven’t smoked it, nor do I intend to (not for lack of opportunity.) I don’t think it’s a good idea for the general populace, but I think the prohibition of it has done more harm than good.

Sue de Nim

Sure, study it. But the reasons for legalizing cannabis for recreational use are valid even if it’s found to have no measurable therapeutic benefit. The prohibition of this relatively harmless substance is doing more harm than good.

marty

i was a mechanic that was overexposed to unleaded gasoline and suffer from lots of side effects of so called schitzophrenic medications i feel that hemp pills would be able to replace these meds im on without the side effects of experimental meds that have only compounded my issues please legalize hemp products and release us from lab rat status for big pharmasuticals

Rich in Duluth

No, just legalize marijuana and get production of it out of the hands of criminal organizations and into the hands of legitimate production facilities and individuals.

Greengiant2014

We are all humans. Stop with the moral crap. It is now time to legalize marijuana. 2014 now not 1969.

Pearly

Sounds like a waste of money

KTN

Why?

Pearly

Who would listen if they did a study?

KTN

Fair enough, and I can’t disagree even though I’m the eternal optimist.

Jim G

Scientific inquiry is always welcomed by informed citizens and policy makers if making smart policy is the goal . Unfortunately, studying the effects of marijuana on humans has been prevented in the United States for far too long for for purely political reasons. However, I am convinced that marijuana is less harmful to us than liquor or tobacco is and should be legalized, regulated, and taxed as these legal substances are.

Bernie Hesse

yes. not only would it provide compassionate care for a number of patients, it would create 3,000 jobs with good wages and the potential for more.

John in the 6th District

Why the big deal with “law enforcement” that people not get high from this? I’ll bet they all down enough alcohol to get that high. I’m thinking these are the ones who had crew cuts in the 1970s.

Just legalize it. Do what Colorado is doing about taxing and controlling distribution. The plant grows wild here. The ditch weed around the college towns for 5 or 10 miles out is much higher quality I understand.

Jimmy H.

I think it’s law enforcement that needs to do an honest study to support their “opinion” that marijuana should be illegal. There seems to be more evidence to support the fact their stance is way more harmful for society than good.

mouser

My heart goes out to the families of sick children who can benefit from this plant and to people who are sick and can only depend on synthetic drugs from legalized drug pushers (big pharma). Studies have already been done and proven to be beneficial for people with certain diseases, why would they be any different for this part of the country? Would the study be on it’s medicinal purposes or the socioeconomic impacts or moral implications? Alcohol is legalized and it has very little, if any, health benefits. Read the history of “weed” and you’ll realize why it’s such a political football. If big pharma had the singular legal rights to growing it and keeping it to themselves it would have been available years ago…at their own astronomical price, of course.